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Association between weight change and mortality in community living older people followed for up to 14 years. The Hordaland Health Study (HUSK)

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

To study the importance of weight change with regard to mortality in older people.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Participants

The cohort includes participants in the Hordaland Health Study, Norway, 1997-99 (N=2935, age 71-74 years) who had previously participated in a survey in 1992-93.

Measurements

Participants with weight measured at both surveys were followed for mortality through 2012. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate risk of death according to changes in weight. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for people with stable weight (±<5% weight change) were compared to people who lost (≥5%) or gained (≥5%) weight. Cox regression with penalized spline was used to evaluate the association between weight change (in kg) and mortality. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, physical activity, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and previous myocardial infarction or stroke. Participants with cancer were excluded.

Results

Compared to those with stable weight, participants who lost ≥5% weight had an increased mortality risk (HR 1.59 [95% CI: 1.35-1.89]) while the group with weight gain ≥5% did not (HR 1.07 [95% CI 0.90-1.28]). Penalized spline identified those who lost more than about three kg or gained more than about 12 kg as having increased risk of death.

Conclusion

Even a minor weight loss of ≥5% or >3 kg were significantly associated with increased risk of mortality. Thus, weight should be routinely measured in older adults.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

HUSK:

The Hordaland Health Study

CI:

Confidence intervals

HR:

Hazard ratios

RR:

Relative risk

OR:

Odds ratio

FFM:

Fat free mass

FM:

Fat mass

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Kalfarveien 31, 5018, Bergen, Norway

    Teresa Risan Haugsgjerd, S. E. Vollset, G. Sulo & G. S. Tell

  2. Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    J. Dierkes

  3. Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway

    S. E. Vollset

  4. Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Domus Medica, Oslo, Norway

    K. J. Vinknes

  5. Section for Cardiology, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    O. K. Nygård & R. Seifert

  6. Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

    O. K. Nygård

  7. Department of Health Registries, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway

    G. S. Tell

Authors
  1. Teresa Risan Haugsgjerd
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  2. J. Dierkes
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  3. S. E. Vollset
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  4. K. J. Vinknes
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  7. G. Sulo
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Correspondence to Teresa Risan Haugsgjerd.

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Association between weight change and mortality in community living older people followed for up to 14 years. The Hordaland Health Study (HUSK)

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Haugsgjerd, T.R., Dierkes, J., Vollset, S.E. et al. Association between weight change and mortality in community living older people followed for up to 14 years. The Hordaland Health Study (HUSK). J Nutr Health Aging 21, 909–917 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-016-0866-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-016-0866-z

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